Electric range outlet receptacle



1957 J. ,L PALENIK ET AL 2,782,338

ELECTRIC RANGE OUTLET RECEPTACLE Filed April 50,1955

Figgl.

WITNESSES: INVENTORS Y John J.Opolenik oBnd win rd H.Bullis.

ATTORNEY and nited tates ELECTRIC RANGE OUTLET REiIEPTACLE ApplicationApril 30, 1953, Serial No. 352,171

3 Claims. (Cl. 339-192) Our invention relates, generally, to electricwiring devices and, more particularly, to terminal connectors forutilization with wiring devices, such as outlet receptacles of a heavyduty type.

Most terminal connectors previously available on the market require thatthe wire or cable be inserted endwise into the connector. This isinconvenient for certain applications, for example, in electric rangeoutlet receptacles, in which relatively large cables must be connectedto the contact jaws of a receptacle and it is difiicult to make aconnection which requires bending of a cable.

An object of our invention, generally stated, is to provide an outletreceptacle which shall be simple and efficient in operation and whichmay be economically manufactured and installed.

A more specific object of our invention is to provide a terminalconnector which permits a wire or cable to be laid into the connectorlaterally or sidewise as distinguished from being inserted endwise.

Another object of our invention is to provide a terminal connector inwhich all of its parts are made captive, thereby preventing any of theparts from becoming lost or misplaced.

A further object of our invention is to provide terminal connectorswhich may be readily installed on an outlet receptacle base.

Other objects of our invention will be explained fully hereinafter orwill be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In accordance with one embodiment of our invention, a terminal connectorhaving a U-shaped member with a fiat extension or tang formed integrallytherewith is attached to each contact member of a three-wire receptaclebase. A clamping screw is held captive in a plate slidably disposed inslots in the legs of the U. The slots and the plate are of suchdimensions that the plate and the screw can be moved laterally to permita cable to be laid into the U-shaped member, but the plate is ,heldcaptive in the one leg. The connectors are so constructed that eachplate can be removed without interference with the barriers between thecontact members on the base.

For a better understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged plan view of an outlet receptacle assemblyembodying the principal features of the invention;

I tially at right angles to the plate.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, in elevation, of one side of The base It?may be of a type utilized for 2,782,333 Patented Feb. 13, 1957 makingpower connections to an electric range or other apparatus requiring athree-wire receptacle. The base 10 may be molded from a suitableinsulating material. It is provided with spaces 12, 13 and 14, in eachone of which a contact member or jaw 15 is disposed for receiving thecontact blades or prongs of a cooperating plug (not shown). The plug maybe attached to an extension cord which, in turn, is connected to therange or other apparatus. An integrally formed barrier 16 separates thespaces 12, 13 and 14 from each other. Integrally formed extensions 17 ofthe barrier 16 are provided at the sides of the opening 13. Likewise,integrally formed extensions 13 are provided at the outer sides of theopenings 12 and 14. The base 10 may be attached to the plate 11 byscrews 19.

As shown, one end 20 of the plate 11 is bent substan- In accordance withthe usual practice, a knockout may be provided in the end 20 which maybe removed to permit the installation of a cable containing conductors21 for connecting to the contact members 15, respectively. The plate 11is of a type suitable for installing on any suitable supporting surface,such as a wall. It will be understood that the base 10 may be installedin a metal outlet box of a type suitable for installation in the wall ofa building.

Since the conductors 21 must be of a relatively large size in order tocarry suflicient current for operating the range or other apparatusrequiring relatively large amounts of current, and only a small amountof space is available between the end 20 and the base 10, it isdiflicult to bend the conductors in order to insert them in terminalconnectors of a type previously available which require that theconductors be inserted endwise into the terminal connectors. In order toovercome this difiiculty we have devised terminal connectors 22, 23 and24 for use with the contact members 15 in the spaces 12, 13 and 14,respectively.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the terminal connector 23comprises a generally U-shaped member 25 having an integrally formedtang 26 extending from the bight of the U. The tang 26 has a threadedopening 27 therein for receiving a screw 28 for connecting the terminalto the contact member 15. oppositely disposed shoulders 29 are providedon the tang 26.

Oppositely disposed slots 31 and 32 are provided in the legs 33 and 34,respectively, of the U-shaped member 25. As shown in Fig. 4, an opening35 extends from the top of the leg 34 to the slot 32. A notch 36 isprovided at the bottom of the slot 32. Furthermore, the slot 31 isslightly longer than the slot 32.

A generally rectangular plate 37 has a threaded hole therein forreceiving a threaded clamping screw 38. The end 'of-the screw 38 may bestaked to prevent its removal from the plate 37. Also, the end of theplate 37 which extends a slight amount through the longer slot 31 may bestaked at 39, thereby increasing the width of this end of the plate. IThus, as shown most clearly in the lower part of Fig. 1, the plate 37and the screw 38 may be removed from the leg 33 but not from the leg 34.In this manner a practically unobstructed opening is provided betweenthe legs 33 and 34 to permit a cable or conductor to be laid into theU-shaped member 25 from the top of the member. Furthermore, the parts ofthe terminal connector cannot become separated since the plate 37 cannotbe removed from the leg 34 and the screw 38 cannot be removed from theplate37.

The parts of the connector may be assembled 'by threading the screw 38into the plate 37 and staking the end of the screw. The plate 37 maythen be slid through the slot 32 and into the slot 31. The lower end ofthe screw passes through the notch 36 in the leg 34 and the upper endpasses through the opening 35. The end of the plate 37 which extendsslightly through the leg 33 may be staked in the manner previouslydescribed to prevent the. removal of the plate 37 through the slot 32but not through the slot 31 which, as previously explained, is slightlylonger than the slot 32. In this manner, the parts of the connector areprevented from becoming misplaced or lost, thereby facilitating theinstallation of the device.

The connectors 22 and 24 are similar to the connector 23 with theexception that the tang 26 on each one of these connectors extends at anangle to the U-shaped member. As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the tang26 of the connector 22 is bent towards the leg 33 of the U-shapedmember. Likewise, the tang 26 of the connector 24 is bent towards theleg 33, but the legs 33 and 34 are interchanged. In this manner theseconnectors may be connected to the contact members disposed in thespaces 12 and 14, which are disposed substantially 120 from each otherand firom the space 13 which contains the third contact member 15.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the distance between the insides of thelegs 33 and 34 is just slightly greater than the diameter of the screw38, thereby permitting the end of the screw to clamp directly on thestripped conductor and without any conductor strands becoming loose.Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a special clamping plate fordirectly engaging the conductor.

It will also be noted that when the end of the screw 38 is disposedbelow the bottom of the notch 36 in the leg 34 the plate 37 is retainedin both notches 31 and 32, thereby preventing the plate from coming outof the notches when pressure is applied to the conductor by turning thescrew 38 through the plate.

As shown in Fig. 1, the terminal connectors may be readily installed onthe base 10. The connectors 22 and 24 are so constructed that thebarriers 17 do not interfere with the sliding of the plate 38 throughthe slots in the legs of the connector to permit installation of theconductors 21. The ends of the barriers 17 opposite the connector 23 maybe notched at 41 to permit the withdrawal of the plate 37 for theinstallation of the conductor 21 in this connector.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that we have provided aterminal connector which is of a simple construction and, therefore, maybe manufactured at a relatively low cost. The connector permits aconductor to be laid into the connector sidewise as distinguished frombeing inserted endwise into the connector, thereby greatly facilitatingthe connecting of relatively large conductors to the contact members ofan outlet receptacle or other device where it is diflicult to bend orproperly manipulate heavy cables to make electrical connections.

Since numerous changes may be made in the abovedescribed constructionand different embodiments of the invention may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an electrical wiring device, in combination, a base of insulatingmaterial having a plurality of spaces therein and integrally formedbarriers between said spaces, wiring terminals in said spaces, each ofsaid terminals comprising a base portion of conducting material attachedto said insulating base, a pair of spaced substantially parallel legsextending from the base portion for receiving a conductor therebetween,opposed openings through said legs spaced from the base portion forreceivlng a support having a threaded opening located between said legswhen the support engages the openings in both legs, a screw disposed inthe opening in said support for applying pressure on the conductor, saidscrew and said support being inseparable after assembly of the device,said barriers being adjacent to legs of at least two of said terminals,said support and said screw for each of said two terminals being movablein a direction away from an adjacent barrier to permit placing theconductor in the terminal, and cooperating means on said support andone-of said legs for preventing complete withdrawal of said support fromthe opening in said one leg when said support is moved away from theother leg.

2. In an electrical wiring device, in combination, a base of insulatingmaterial having upwardly extending integrally formed barriers thereon,three wiring terminals mounted on said base, each of said terminalscomprising a base portion having a contact member attached thereto, saidbarriers being disposed between the base portions of two terminals andthe contact member of the third terminal, a pair of spaced substantiallyparallel legs extending from the base portion of each terminal forreceiving a conductor therebetween, opposed openings through said legsspaced from the base portion for receiving a support having a threadedopening located between said legs when the support is disposed in theopenings in both legs, a screw disposed in the opening in said. supportfor applying pressure on the conductor, said barriers being adjacent tolegs of at least two of said terminals, the support and the screw foreach of said two of the terminals being movable in a direction away froman adjacent barrier and the contact member for the third terminal topermit placing the conductor in the terminal, cooperating means on saidsupport and one of said legs for preventing complete withdrawal of saidsupport from the opening in said one leg when the support is moved awayfrom the other leg and the adjacent barrier, and said barrier preventingcomplete removal of said support in a direction towards said barrier.

3. In an electrical wiring device, in combination, a base of insulatingmaterial having upwardly extending integrally formed barriers thereon,three wiring terminals mounted on said base, each of said terminalscomprising a base portion having a contact member attached thereto, saidbarriers being disposed between the base portions of two terminals andthe contact member of the third terminal, a pair of spaced substantiallyparallel legs extending from the base portion of each terminal forreceiving a conductor therebetween, opposed openings through said legsspaced from the base portion for receiving a support having a threadedopening located between said legs when the support is disposed in theopenings in both legs, a screw disposed in the opening in said supportfor applying pressure on the condoctor, said screw and said supportbeing inseparable after assembly of the device, said barriers beingadjacent to legs of at least two of said terminals, the support and thescrew for each of said two of the terminals being movable in a directionaway from an adjacent barrier and the contact member for the thirdterminal to permit placing the conductor in the terminal, andcooperating means on said support and one of said legs for preventingcomplete withdrawal of said support from the opening in said one legwhen the support is moved away from the other leg.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,516,572 Heller July 25, 1950 2,597,070 Cook et al. May 20, 19522,659,877 Sheldon Nov. 17, 1953 2,709,793 Johansson May 31, 1955

